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riddles >> what happened >> Reflection 2: nosferatu
(Message started by: Iceman on Nov 21st, 2006, 4:05am)

Title: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Iceman on Nov 21st, 2006, 4:05am
Dorian is naked in a rectangular room, which has no openings. There are only two things in it: a new 60 W standard bulb screwed in the ceiling socket and switched on, and a bigger mirror on the wall. So Dorian is standing right near the mirror, looking at it, but he doesn't see his reflection, even though he has 20/20 eye vision. Why?

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by jollytall on Nov 21st, 2006, 4:24am
An easy solution: They fixed the mirror on the wall with the reflecting side turned towarsds the wall.

A more sophisticated. He stands near the mirror, and looks at it[hide] form an angle[/hide].

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by TheNumberScott on Nov 21st, 2006, 9:26am
Dorian is clearly some sort of [hide]ghost, or vampire, or invisible man.[/hide] Judging by the title, I'd go with option b.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Sameer on Nov 21st, 2006, 12:07pm
Dorian is Dracula...

Dorian has 20/20 vision but he is not very bright... he is looking the other way to see his reflection (read virtual image ;))

Dorian is temporarily blinded by looking for 2 minutes into the bright lamp.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Iceman on Nov 21st, 2006, 1:57pm
No to all.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Icarus on Nov 21st, 2006, 4:02pm
It is a "two-way" mirror, installed to allow Dorian to be under constant surveillance. But the workmen messed up and installed it backwards. What Dorian sees are very confused observers.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Bamaboys on Nov 21st, 2006, 4:38pm
does Dorian have [hideb] his eyes closed? [/hideb]

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Sameer on Nov 21st, 2006, 5:23pm
Why is Dorian naked?  :o

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Nov 21st, 2006, 6:45pm
How long has Dorian been in this room?  I hope it hasn't been too long, with there not being any way to breathe and all.   ;)

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Iceman on Nov 22nd, 2006, 3:34am
No winner yet.




on 11/21/06 at 17:23:00, Sameer wrote:
Why is Dorian naked?  :o

Just so you don't come up with a silly solution.  

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Desert Lizard on Nov 22nd, 2006, 3:43am
It's a 220 V bulb and the socket is 110 V. The light isn't bright enough to see by... Our silly PX only sells 220 V bulbs.  :(

Or the other way around and the bulb blew up when the light was switched on.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Grimbal on Nov 22nd, 2006, 5:26am
Maybe the room is not empty but full of soil.  Yep.  It is a tomb.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Iceman on Nov 22nd, 2006, 6:29am
No to both.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Grimbal on Nov 22nd, 2006, 9:05am
The room is a huuuge room.  The ceiling is so hight that the light bulb looks like a lonely star, it hardly brings any light.  Dorian is near the mirror, but in relative terms only.  Given the size of the room, it is still a few 100s of meters away.  This is too far to see his image, especially considering that Dorian is a flea.  (nosferatu.., flea... you got it?)

[edit]alternate possibility: Dorian is a mosquito [/edit]

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Bamaboys on Nov 22nd, 2006, 1:43pm
[hideb] The mirror is too dirty or broken to see anything in it?   [/hideb]

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by cchris on Nov 22nd, 2006, 2:48pm
[hide]The light is too bright for him to see his reflection[/hide].

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Three Hands on Nov 23rd, 2006, 4:45am
Might be a bit tough to do but maybe Dorian is blocking the light coming into his eyes, or is standing so close to the mirror that the light from behind him doesn't illuminate him sufficiently to cause him to see his reflection (although he might see his silhouette)

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Iceman on Nov 25th, 2006, 4:13am
Grimbal got it.  

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Grimbal on Nov 25th, 2006, 4:51pm
I got it?  Is D a flea or a mosquito?  Is the room about 1km across?

Or is it that a mosquito looking at a mirror would mainly see an empty room with a tiny speck somewhere that could be just a bit of dirt on the wall?

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Iceman on Nov 25th, 2006, 4:52pm

on 11/25/06 at 16:51:50, Grimbal wrote:
I got it? Is the room about 1km across?

Yep. Something like that.  ::)

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Grimbal on Nov 25th, 2006, 4:56pm
Mmmm, hmmm.

I guess you need a larger room to put a bigger mirror.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Sameer on Nov 25th, 2006, 10:53pm
Is it the Iceman Mansion on planet Saturn?

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Iceman on Nov 26th, 2006, 5:58am
I made a rookie err.  :-[ It sounds like an unrealistic situation, plus there is no need for the mirror to be big, and Dorian does not have to be naked. So, moderators, think of my impeccable reputation, and delete this riddle. Thank you.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Icarus on Nov 26th, 2006, 12:20pm
It is better to admit our errors and move on than to pretend they didn't happen.

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Sameer on Nov 26th, 2006, 12:24pm

on 11/26/06 at 12:20:43, Icarus wrote:
It is better to admit our errors and move on than to pretend they didn't happen.

As the earthly saying goes "we learn from our mistakes" ... how does it go in the alien world??  ;)

Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Iceman on Nov 26th, 2006, 1:04pm
In alien world there are no mistakes. That's the problem.


Title: Re: Reflection 2: nosferatu
Post by Grimbal on Nov 26th, 2006, 3:08pm

on 11/26/06 at 05:58:31, Iceman wrote:
... plus there is no need for the mirror to be big
It is a hint that Dorian is small

Quote:
... and Dorian does not have to be naked. ...
It is a hint that Dorian is an animal



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